When is your Team Chemically Balanced at Work

We believe that every team should be chemically safe and balanced at work, and we’re here to help you achieve that.

At the heart of a safe and balanced team is a positive workplace culture. This means having access to information, resources, and people, as well as transparency about what can and cannot be discussed. We also believe in providing clarity and understanding of the next steps for your career. Conflict is assumed to come from a place of positive intent, which is why we encourage a culture of unity and shared goals.

Leaders play an essential role in creating a safe and balanced workplace. Our approach is to focus on solving the problem together, rather than taking sides or blaming others. We believe in taking 100% of the blame and delegating all the credit. We also practice the “credit funnel” and “shit umbrella” techniques to ensure that all team members are recognized and supported.

At the core of workplace safety is the biology of our brain chemicals. We need a balance of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin to feel safe and balanced at work. Endorphins help mask pain, while dopamine is about achievement and getting things done. Serotonin is the leadership chemical that gives us pride and status, while oxytocin is the service drug that makes us feel good when we help others.

We recognize that not everyone will find all these chemicals at work, and that’s okay. We encourage team members to find balance outside of work by pursuing personal goals and spending time with loved ones but acknowledge that not every employee has the opportunity to obtain these rewards outside of work. We also recommend activities such as walking and joking around to help recalibrate the brain and reduce stress.

Finally, we want to emphasize that teams are not in competition with each other. Instead, we believe in competing with ourselves and being the leaders we wish we had. We hope that our workplace safety guide has been helpful and that you can use these tips to create a chemically safe and balanced team at work.